LCY's Bowei Lee released on bail of NT$20 million

KAOHSIUNG--Bowei Lee (李謀偉), chairman and chief executive officer of embattled LCY Chemical Corp. (李長榮化工), was released on NT$20 million (US$666,882) bail late Tuesday after being listed as a potential defendant in the deadly gas explosions that rocked Kaohsiung at the end of July.

Lee was questioned for six hours by prosecutors as a witness in connection with the July 31 explosions that killed 30, injured more than 300 and tore up roads and damaged property in the southern Taiwan port city.

At the end of the session, the prosecutors decided to name him as a potential defendant in the case because of evidence suggesting that he should bear the blame for the explosions, believed to be caused by a propylene leak in an LCY Chemical underground pipeline.

He left the prosecutors office late Tuesday after his aides posted bail.

Lee told reporters camped outside the office that his company will fully cooperate with prosecutors in the investigation and will be accountable for whatever responsibility it is found to have had in the blasts.